Wanna be Elite...

Training Training Logs
881

Ok I’m going to give you a dose of Wendler-style tough love. Given your strong OHP and bench, I’m not buying the long arm excuse for your back. From lifting with you and reading your logs, I don’t think you’ve made it a priority even close to as much as you have pressing, squatting and deadlifting (not that the priorities should be TOTALLY even, given PL goals). But if you want a strong ass back, it has to be a priority, just like you have to dedicate to squatting if you want a strong ass squat.

My back strength should not be anywhere close to yours, given our overall strength discrepancies. If you want have a better back, nut up and do as many heavy sets of back work as you do pressing work. 3 work sets of a main movement (BB or DB row variation), 3-4 work sets of an assistance machine movement (pulldowns, cable rows, whatever). THEN do face pulls and isolation stuff.

It actually doesn’t add too much time to your workout, I’ve found that back exercises in the 8-12 rep range require a lot less downtime between sets than my main pressing movements, even with as heavy a weight as I can handle.

882

Holy shit lots of activity in my log in the past 48 hours. I didn’t think anybody read this damn thing anymore

[quote]Drake37 wrote:
Looking through your log a little bit and I noticed a few things.

  1. Things got really shitty for you.
  2. You made progress anyway.
  3. You set a world record with a “What happens, happens” kind of attitude.
  4. You don’t stop driving, you just temporarily change lanes.

That is pretty damn impressive. I hope you heal up and your lifts all fly up.[/quote]

haha thanks man. I just like to train so when something goes wrong, I try to figure out ways to work around it. No way would I have done a bench only/curl meet if my back hadn’t gotten fucked up. I saw it as a new challenge to see what I can do, and it ended up working out alright.

I’m hoping the back issues will be resolved soon. Got some new plan of attack for that

[quote]The3Commandments wrote:

Just wanted to chime in that this is one of the few logs that I follow as well, basically for the reasons Drake noted.

Also, because you have a beastly OHP.[/quote]

Thanks broseph. OHP is an awesome lift. I really wish there was a competition for it–its a lot of fun and very manly.

[quote]Polsen714 wrote:
I started a log too! Check it out![/quote]

FINALLY!!! I’m excited to read about it, even though I talk to you about it every night :-p

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

makes me sick[/quote]

One day I will show you the ways young grasshopper

[quote]scj119 wrote:
Ok I’m going to give you a dose of Wendler-style tough love. Given your strong OHP and bench, I’m not buying the long arm excuse for your back. From lifting with you and reading your logs, I don’t think you’ve made it a priority even close to as much as you have pressing, squatting and deadlifting (not that the priorities should be TOTALLY even, given PL goals). But if you want a strong ass back, it has to be a priority, just like you have to dedicate to squatting if you want a strong ass squat.

My back strength should not be anywhere close to yours, given our overall strength discrepancies. If you want have a better back, nut up and do as many heavy sets of back work as you do pressing work. 3 work sets of a main movement (BB or DB row variation), 3-4 work sets of an assistance machine movement (pulldowns, cable rows, whatever). THEN do face pulls and isolation stuff.

It actually doesn’t add too much time to your workout, I’ve found that back exercises in the 8-12 rep range require a lot less downtime between sets than my main pressing movements, even with as heavy a weight as I can handle.[/quote]

You are a huge fucking asshole you know that?

And you’re totally right…

I have always taken the approach that “it is not limiting me so no need to focus on it” but there’s really no way to know if it is holding me back or not I suppose, without trying to make it stronger and see if my lifts react accordingly.

It is the only muscle group I have never done a bodybuilding specific routine to hit either.

I had already decided once I’m done with this conditioning/cutting cycle to make that a priority in my training through spring and summer before hitting the meet I hope to do in September. I think 10 weeks or so of focused work should at least tell me if it is worth it or not.

My biggest issue with doing back is that I just really don’t ever feel it. I have no mind muscle connection and even when I drop the weights, I don’t feel like I am working the right muscles. And when the weight is high, it just gets ugly. I will look into this.

883

20.4.1 - 1/28/13

Foam Rolling: Glutes, Back, Quads
SI Joint Stretches

SSB Squat (3x5): 155 195 230
Leg Press (3x10): 3 pps, 3.5, 3.5
Ab Wheel (3x10): BW

Conditioning: Basketball practice

Deload week. Boring. nothing to see here. I am always amazed at how heavy the weights feel during deload, even though they are just normal warmup weights.

I believe I am finally onto something with my back. I got all drunk Saturday and started looking around on the internet. instead of looking at porn like usual, I started looking into the SI joint and found some stretches for it that seemed to help. I am going to get my ART guy to try to adjust it on Tuesday and see if that helps. I really don’t know why I have been to 5 different chiros and none of them seem to have pointed to that as a potential problem.

Basketball went real well. Still kinda out of shape but moving a lot better and not getting winded quite as quickly or for as long. Sore as shit right now though.

Got a game tomorrow. Gonna go deload bench afterwards.

Heading home Wednesday for a few days so may or may not lift the rest of the week after that.

884

1/29/13

Had a bball game. My conditioning is getting a lot better. Was able to play the majority of the game and only had to take a couple plays off (took offense off of course, not gonna slack on D!). I had the most points on our team, 15 or so, but missed some easy shots and like 7 free throws, which would have won it for us in regulation. Then I missed the game winner in regulation. Then some more free throws in overtime. We lost by 2. Oh well. Hack a Shaq technique is very effective against me I guess

20.4.2 - 1/30/13

Foam roll: glutes, back

Bench (3x5): 155, 195, 230
Cable Row: 3x8 (focus on MMC)
Floor Press: 3x8 (I think I worked up to like 185)

No conditioning. The gym was hot as fuck since it was 70 degrees here yesterday (lot of politician hot air maybe) and they hadn’t adjusted the temp accordingly. I may have died on the elliptical. Prowler is still broken, but they are fixing it Friday I’m told. I will be surprised.

Deload was deload. Getting a lot of popping and stuff in my joints right now, which I am thinking may be a good thing meaning my locked up muscles are starting to finally release. Back feels pretty good and stronger each day. Light at the end of the tunnel, finally.

Gonna hit my deload deadlift and OHP workouts sometime at the end of this week/weekened and continue to focus on my mobility work before hitting it hard again next week.

885

20.4.3 - 1/31/13

Mobility: Chiropractor
Foam Rolling: glutes, back, lats

Deadlift (3x5): 140, 185, 225
Good Morning (3x8): 135, 155, 175 (6)
Hanging Abs (3x10): Yup
Torso rotation machine thing (for some mobility…this was not a good thing)

Conditioning: 30 minutes steady state on elliptical @ 130 BPM or so

Coming to the end of deload. Was able to deadlift pain free tonight. Whatever was hindering my ribs last week was still present tonight, but wasn’t nearly as bad and I think it will be good to go by next week. Lower back felt pretty good. Need to really get this movement pattern ingrained again before I start going heavy or pushing the reps again.

I will probably stay conservative next cycle as I get back into the swing of things then start to really push it come March. Although that’s the plan, I’m sure I will try to be a billy joe badass at some point and put the foot down on the accelerator.

OHP tomorrow, will probably go hoop some on Saturday.

886

you play college ball? are these preseason games?

887

[quote]browndisaster wrote:
you play college ball? are these preseason games?[/quote]

hahha no it is a bullshit co-ed alumni league that I still play in. I wish I still played college ball, but those days are behind me haha

20.4.4 - 2/2/13

Foam rolling: Glutes, Thoracic, Scaps, Lats, Piriformis

OHP (3x5): 100, 125, 150
Pulldowns: 3x8
Shoulder Press Machine: Nope

Blah kinda workout. My right shoulder was really sore and my low back was acting up again. Obviously no problem with the deload weights but not really into it. OHP was fine for the shoulder but the shoulder press machine really aggravated it so I called it a day and went and drank some bourbon.

Going to take it easy today, watch the superbowl, maybe do a bit of foam rolliing, and get ready to hit it hard again next week. Excited to see what this cycle will hold with PR’s.

888

21.1.1 - 2/4/13

SSB Squat (3s): 275, 315, 355 (5)
Ab Wheel: 1x12

Cardio: a bit of basketball

I don’t want to bore anyone with the details but my back is still fucked up, and tonight’s session did not help. I thought I could power through it but that was not a good idea. I hit my squats, tried to do a little assistance, it was hurting, so I went to basketball instead and could barely move. Going to make some changes in my chiropractic care. Do not think ART is all its cracked up to be. Fuck.

889

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
I don’t want to bore anyone with the details but my back is still fucked up, and tonight’s session did not help. I thought I could power through it but that was not a good idea. I hit my squats, tried to do a little assistance, it was hurting, so I went to basketball instead and could barely move. Going to make some changes in my chiropractic care. Do not think ART is all its cracked up to be. Fuck.[/quote]

What are the details if you don’t mind? I know you’ve probably been through this before, but your back has been raped so long it was probably like 20 pages ago. Have you had an MRI? Is there something more extreme you can do to fix it like surgery? I would be desperate enough for pretty much anything if I were in your shoes.

890

It’s been how many months now? Get an MRI.

I asked my doc for one today, we can go together and hold hands.

891

I’ll get to the comments later–too tired tonight.

Had a basketball game tonight. It went pretty well, scored a lot of points and we blew the other team out. I was able to go pretty hard for most of the game when I was in. Cardio is getting better. Back wasn’t really bothering me but my joints are achy.

Benching tomorrow to make up for missing it tonight.

892

ART is great. If you have something that can be fixed with ART.

Maybe your injuries are beyond the scope and require an MRI as suggested.

893

[quote]csulli wrote:

What are the details if you don’t mind? I know you’ve probably been through this before, but your back has been raped so long it was probably like 20 pages ago. Have you had an MRI? Is there something more extreme you can do to fix it like surgery? I would be desperate enough for pretty much anything if I were in your shoes.[/quote]

Basically it is idiopathic lower back pain on the left side. It manifests itself as tightness and pain when I do hinging movements and we have no idea what is causing it. I fucked it up at the meet in june deadlifting and it hasn’t been right ever since.

I don’t think it is disc related because it prbably would have healed by now. I had a similar injury a couple years ago and went to visit Bushido Bad Boy from this site in Wales while I was on a business trip in England, and he put me through the ringer. Manipulated me every which way possible (no homo) and the next day when I was leg pressing it popped loudly and all my pain was gone and it was fine for 2 years. I have a feeling this is the same thing as that, whatever “that” was.

There is no way I will ever get surgery on it because it really doesnt hurt in my day to day activities–it really just keeps me from powerlifting. I guess I’m lucky there, but I want to powerlift dammit.

[quote]scj119 wrote:
It’s been how many months now? Get an MRI.

I asked my doc for one today, we can go together and hold hands.[/quote]

My chiro gave me a script today. I’ll probably go get mine at the hopsital over here in VA. Where you getting yours? Road trip?

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
ART is great. If you have something that can be fixed with ART.

Maybe your injuries are beyond the scope and require an MRI as suggested.[/quote]

Good point…maybe I was just expecting too much when I need an actual specialist.

Got the MRI but that’s obvioulsy not a cure :-p. Hopefully they can figure out something from it though. I also made an appointment with a D.O. later this month, and if that doesn’t work I will just suck it up and go see a spinal surgeon or fly to Winnipeg or somewhere in bumbfucked Canada and visit Dean Somerset haha

894

21.1.2 - 2/7/13

Benchin (3s): 275, 310, 350 (5)
Bench Press Machine: 3x10
Row Machine: 3x10

I played ball Tuesday night after my chiro appointment and was able to move pretty well, though the back was sore. It locked up after the game though and I spent all day Wednesday struggling to walk. The pain was there even when I wasn’t moving or doing shit and that was concerning. It was a bit better today, and I had another chiro appointment and it feels a lot better now after that. No idea what caused the flare up. Doc agreed to send me for an MRI which I will probably get sometime next week since he is out on vacation all week.

Bench tonight went pretty well. Warmups were a little shitty and I wasn’t really into it, but managed to hit 350x5 and stopped there. Easily had 6, and maybe 7 with a grind. Not a PR but a pretty solid effort.

Finished off the workout with some bullshit bodybuilding stuff on the machines trying to focus on feeling the MMC.

No deadlifts this week obviously so I will probably work abs and whatever I can do for my hamstring tomorrow and OHP on Saturday.

895

21.1.3

Skipped deadlifts obviously due to the back issues

21.1.4 - 2/9/13

OHP (3s): 180, 205, 230
Bonus OHP: 255x3
Machine Curls (3x12): 100

Cardio: Helping my buddy move

Back may be fucked up, but I can always take solace in the fact that my OHP is steadily improving. I am doing an OHP competition over on another website and since the heavyweight division is 245 and above, I feel like I am heavy enough to have an advantage. Plus my OHP is pretty decent. The competition deadline is the end of March.

So I had planned to just do a heavyish single since I hadn’t done one in a while just to see how it feels. I thought I “MIGHT” go for two if it felt easy, but after 2 I knew I had another one in me so went ahead and nailed a triple. This is actually slightly below my actual PR, which was 235x6 back in November, but that’s ok. These were super easy.

Hit some curls for assistance then went and helped my buddy move which was a bit of low impact cardio.

Back is still pretty tweaked and not feeling stellar. Going to get my MRI sometime this week.

896

Fuck dude, 2.5 plate OHP is right around the corner.

I think I’ll be in Arlington attempting SSB squats tomorrow (Tues) around 5:30 if you want to stop by. Also gonna do some of those reverse hypers on the GHR that Ashley talked about because I think the traction involved will help let my disks breath a little bit in my lower back.

897

You are one of those people that can curl in the squat rack, and people are ok with it.

898

Wtf. I don’t understand how you’re doin that on OHP. I need some of that strict press mojo.

899

[quote]scj119 wrote:
Fuck dude, 2.5 plate OHP is right around the corner.

[/quote]

Yeah I think I should easily be able to get 275 at this point. I’d like to get that 300 before too long, then 3 plates! My back is fucked so might as well start focusing on other things

[quote]Drake37 wrote:
You are one of those people that can curl in the squat rack, and people are ok with it. [/quote]

hahaha I will go to my grave never stepping foot in a squat rack to curl! I do squat in the curl rack occasionally though

[quote]csulli wrote:
Wtf. I don’t understand how you’re doin that on OHP. I need some of that strict press mojo.[/quote]

Yeah I ahve no idea how I am decent at it either…long arms are no excuse!

900

2/11/13

Played basketball (practice)

2/12/13

Played basketball (game)

The refs were terrible…I couldn’t get any calls on offense even though they were literally smacking my arms and hands loud enough to hear it over in the stands…with about 3 minutes left in the game, I got fouled on a layup attempt that missed and went off on them…got hit with two technicals and ejected from the game…oops

Gonna hit some Benching Wednesday, some legs/back on Friday (no deadlifts/squats), and OHP on Saturday. This is my 5’s week so no extra reps and focus on assistance.

Also got an MRI setup for Saturday afternoon. Hoping that can shed some light on my back situation. It is sore as fuck right now after hoopin’ two days in a row. Blarg